Legislative Update
JULY 2007
New Textbook Law Took Effect June 18,
2007
On June 18th, 2007 House Bill 188, the law affecting the
way school districts acquire new textbooks, became law. The
new law mandates some fundamental changes in how the State
Board of Education and the Texas Education Agency fulfills
the state constitution’s provision to provide free
textbooks to the schoolchildren of Texas. House Bill 188,
authored by State Rep. Scott Hochberg (D-Houston), is designed
to introduce more market competition among textbook publishers
and provide the state a vehicle for more predictable budgeting
for instructional materials.
Highlights of House Bill 188:
- Currently, selection committees in school districts select
instructional materials solely based on quality and the
needs of students in that grade level and subject matter. Now
cost will be a consideration.
- When the State Board of Education issues a proclamation,
they sets a maximum cost of what the state will pay per
student (or unit) per subject matter, the upcoming Reading
/ Language Arts call has traditionally been one of the
most expensive because of the copyrights and other factors
involved with language arts.
- HB 188 mandates a credit system for
the purchase of textbooks so that if school districts pick
books that come under the maximum cost per student allowed
by the state they may keep half the difference in the form
of credits that are “banked” at the Texas Education
Agency. The state keeps the other half.
- Credits may only be used to purchase other instructional
materials.
- The State will continue to order the materials so they
can get the bulk rates available with statewide purchasing.
- HB 188 also gives the State Board of Education the option
to hold a mid-cycle adoption providing it doesn’t
call for materials already under contract in the regular
adoption cycle. The intent is to introduce more flexibility.
- Supplemental textbook adoption books will not be required
to meet the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS),
although are required to contain material covering
one or more primary focal points or primary topics of a
subject.
- It is anticipated that districts will use their credits
for these supplemental instructional materials.
Read past legislative updates.
Latest News
TEA's
Internal Strife Grows
July 7, 2007
Press release
Math Educators Praise Lawmakers for Commitment to New Books
May 23, 2007
Press release
Schools Would Pay More and Get Inadequate Textbooks Under House Bill
April 25, 2007
Press release
Funding
for math at stake in legislative session
February 1, 2007
Press release
A
wish list for public education
December 18, 2006
Dallas Morning News
More press
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Permanent School Fund Poll
Overwhelming majority
of Texans agree that the Permanent School Fund should
be protected. See poll
results.
View
an excerpt from the testimony of Geraldine Miller,
State Board of Education chair, concerning the
future of the upcoming Reading Adoption.
View
the testimony of Julie McGee, president/CEO of Harcourt
Achieve, Professional and Trade. McGee is a member
of the executive committee of the Association of
American Publishers School Division.
Fundamentals on Textbook Funding
Be up-to-date! Find out more about what's going on today
in textbook funding.
The Adoption Process
Want to understand more about how textbooks are adopted
and funded? Click here to see a step-by-step explanation
from the beginning to the end of the process.
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